Danny White knows all about the Big East, the athletic conference that has been decimated by the departures of many of its traditional schools.

For one, staying on top of the higher educational sports scene is part of White's job, as athletic director of the University at Buffalo (a member of the Mid-American Conference, which has been a picture of stability relative to almost everywhere else).

For another, White played college basketball at University of Notre Dame, which played college basketball in the Big East for years before defecting recently to the ACC along with the universities of Pittsburgh and Syracuse. (Find a picture of White in Irish uniform here.)

What does he think about all the movement in major college athletics?

"It's completely unprecedented," White said in a recent interview. "It will be curious to see how it all unfolds."

He added: "As a basketball guy, it's hard to see what's happening to the Big East. But I think new rivalries will form."

White's current focus is his own athletic program, for which he has major ambitions. White said it's hard to tell UB's future as it relates to athletic conferences, partly because there is so much flux and partly because the future will depend on sustained success of signature teams such as men's football and basketball.

He said UB has not gotten any formal invitations to join new conferences. For now, White said the MAC is growing stronger and suits the university's needs.

"We're in a strong position in the MAC," he said. "We have had great stability through all of these musical conferences. We're having a banner year in football."

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